Seal-lock for boxes.



J. SEHRT.

I SEAL LOOK FOR BOXES. APPLICATION FILED APRJIZ, 1911 Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

JOHN SEI-IRT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SEAL-LOCK FOR BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filedApril 22, 1911 Serial No. 622,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SEHRT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal- Locks for Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in seal locks for boxes and has for its object an internal locking mechanism by which the cover is securely fastened to the body of the box, and a seal which must be broken before access can be had to the locking mechanism for releasing the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lock for securing shipping cases, and a combination seal and instruction card placed under an opening which must be mutilated before the lock can be opened.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a shipping case showing my improved lock in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the section of the lock carried by the cover of the case. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the section of the lock mounted on the wall of the case. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the cover showing the position of the seal beneath the opening in said cover. Fig. 5 is a detail erspective view of a portion of the seal and lnstruction card and the device for retaining the same in position. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional yiew of a portion of the cover showing the manner in which the trigger of the lock is had access to by inserting the finger through the seal.

Referring to the drawings in detail 7 indicates the body of a shipping case and 8 the cover thereof, the same being suitably hinged together at the point indicated by the numeral 9. On the body 7 is securely fastened a plate 10, its upper port-ion being provided with a tooth 11, its contact surface 12 being suitably inclined so as to permit the locking loop 13 to pass down and lodge beneath the locking surface 14.

On the plate 10 is rigidly attached a spring guard 15, the upper portion being suitably bent and formed into a loop 16 which straddles the tooth 11 and is so formed as to retain the locking loop 13 in position under the tooth, at the same time to give sufficiently to permit the tooth to pass between the point of the tooth and the guard when looking, at the same time to permit the loop to be released when the trigger portion 17 is drawn upwardly by the finger, this portion being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The cover 8 of the shipping case is provided with the plate 18, it being provided with suitable bearings 19 in which the wire forming the locking loop and trigger is supported. The end of the plate is provided with a slotted projection 20 and is designed to pass over the tooth 11 when both sections of the lock are brought in contact. This plate is securely fastened to the under side of the cover and is bent at the points indicated by the numeral 21 to permit the insertion of a card 22, between the same and the box cover, this card bearing a seal 23 and printed instructions 24, the seal and instructions being printed on reverse sides so that the seal 23 can be observed through the opening 25 in the box cover, while the notice of instructions can be read when the cover is open. The card is prevented from being shifted out of its position by means of a spring fastening device 25, which consists of a spring wire firmly secured to the plate 18 and formed with a loop 26 by which the same can be raised by the fingers when inserting the card in position, and when released the tooth 27 will pass through the card and embed itself into the cover, in this manner the card is held in rigid position, and in order to gain access to the trigger for releasing the locking mechanism the seal 23 must be broken, this operation being clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.

The plate 18 is also provided with an opening 28 which corresponds with the opening 25' of the cover and is in vertical alinement therewith.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The goods after having been packed in the case and prior to the closing of the cover, the card bearing the seal and the instructions is inserted under the plate 18 in the position as shown in Fig. 2, the tooth 27 of the fastening device passing through the card and into the cover will retain the same in rigid osition so that the card can not be shifted y inserting a knife or other instrument. When this is done the cover is closed, the trigger and locking loop supported by the plate 18 assuming the position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, the loop contacting withqthe inclined surface of the tooth will ride downwardly and contact with the guard 15 pressing it outwardly in a position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, and when the locking loop has passed the point of the tooth the tendency of the guard is to force the locking loop under the tooth and against the projection 20 so that the trigger and locking loop will assume the position as shown in Fig. 1, the guard 15 preventing the look from becoming open except by pulling upon the trigger 17 after thrusting the finger through the seal as indicated in Fig. 7, and when the finger con tactswith the trigger and pulls upwardly on the same the locking lever 13 is released from beneath the tooth and the lid can be opened. I

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to have secured to me by the grant of Letters Patent, is:

A device of the class described comprising a'fastener composed of two members, one

Copies of this patent may be obtained for of said members secured to the box body,

a tooth formed on said member, a spring guard carried by said member and straddling the tooth, the other member secured to the under side of the cover, a locking loop and trigger mounted on said member, the locking loop arranged to contact with the tooth of the other member and lodge beneath the same, a card inserted between the box cover and the locking member and located beneath an opening formed in the cover, and a device for holding the card in position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN SEHRT.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. Eions, WALTER STEIN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

